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Next Friday, May 15 –
Frugal Fashionista Fashion Show Link Up Party
It’s as if they purposely try to make the person look as horrible as possible to make a statement. The sad reality is that quite often some of us are content to stay in the “before” frump mode because we really just don’t care.
We use lots of excuses.
“I just can’t afford to buy new clothes. I’m at home with the kids all day. I need to lose some weight,” are just a few that I hear. They are seemingly viable reasons, but come on…break away from that mentality. With just a few ‘frump to fantastic’ tips, it will make a world of difference in how you feel about yourself, and how you portray yourself to others.
This week I almost passed up this gem of a find at our local thrift store.I know you’re all jealous because I paid only $0.75 for this two piece suit. Since many thrift stores discount winter items, it was clearanced off the clearance rack.
Doesn’t it bring out my best side? Is this the epitome of the Frugal Fashionista?
I just couldn’t resist a classic “before” shot.
If any of you look like this when you go to church…stop it right now. There’s no need!
I knew that underneath this dated jacket, with shoulder pads that made me look like a house, there was potential. For the summer, the dress length hit perfectly above the knee and the cut was classic. (You are one of the few that get to see me in my glasses, and no make up. Yes, those are my glasses).
Ahhh…much better…what some lipstick, earrings and a great necklace won’t do to round out a $0.75 outfit.
Seriously, I am pretty much a no-primp kind of a girl. I have no problem going out with wet hair (shh) and without much make-up, but my motto since high school has been “never leave the house without lipstick and earrings.”
Lipstick and fun earrings complete an outfit. They really do! Accessories are the key to making something go from frump to fabulous, and that’s all I did here.
Shop your closet first.
See what hidden treasures you may have forgotten about that will be just the perfect addition to an old boring outfit (like my scarf).
Now for the total cost of the outfit…sit down for this….
(Please imagine the full sized body shot showing the great sandals that got cut off in the picture).
$2.50 with the leather sandals ($0.50 yard sale).
Since my photographers are only nine, the blurriness on the last picture comes with the package. Here are the earrings – $1 from a yard sale. The necklace? ONE QUARTER! I can adjust it in all different ways…even crookedly if I want. 🙂 I will do an entire post on accessories.
Another way to dress up an otherwise frumpy fashion faux paux is by layering a scarf. I bought this silk scarf at a yard sale just waiting for the right outfit. This is it. With long pink earrings, it takes the focus off of the drap brown and brightens the whole outfit.
For the cooler evenings, I would lose the scarf, and drape a pink shawl over my shoulders, giving it a very classy touch, but I’ll show you that when I post on accessories.:)
Please note this awesome pair of jeans. LOVE.THEM. Want to be that skinny.
Don’t love the price. Here is my adorable sis in love…remember her? The mom of ten? Yes, ten children she has birthed through that cute little tummy or wherever. 🙂
Well, we are cohorts on this frugal fashionista thing, and she is sporting the exact same jeans. Difference? The price! She found hers…Frugal Fashionista style!! Whoot Whoot! These jeans are really versatile. I have seen her look like she could walk the red carpet with them, or as shown below in this cute casual look.
On a side note, we both hit the clothing mother load of all yard sales this weekend. I was calling her on her cell phone and she wouldn’t pick up…I was leaving frantic voice mails…”Where are you? You’re missing it.” More on that later.
One great way to go from frump to fabulous is to ditch all your T shirts that have words or characters on them. You know the ones that state your latest family trip location across your frontal area? The ones that make you look like a cardboard box? I know they’re so comfortable, but look how fun you can be without plain box T-shirts. Match a colorful tank with a happy (yet extremely cozy) jacket and there’s no need to look frumpy ever again.
And yes, this is another great designer outfit for under $15 courtesy of my sis. She came to drop something off and I made her model for me since I knew she had her “it” jeans on. hee hee
I put this picture in my last yard sale post, but it’s also a perfect example of taking the old T-shirt look up a notch. I bought this black shirt for $1 and it’s incredibly comfortable. There’s no reason for me to put on frump when I can put on $1 worth of fabulousness. 🙂
Now…MARK YOUR CALENDARS!! Next Friday, we are going to have our Frugal Fashionista Fashion Show. Every one who has been emailing me with the fun things you’ve found will have the chance to write a post about it and then link up here. We will all go around and see what you’ve put together. Please realize that you don’t have to have the entire outfit from a yard sale or a thrift shop. Just make sure that at least one of your core essential wardrobe pieces is second hand. This is going to be so much fun. Let’s make believers out of everyone. 🙂
If you’re not quite sure if something is “dated” or not…just shoot me an email.
I must say, these are my favorite posts on your blog – because I enjoy frugal fashion finds tremendously!!! My Kentucky Derby watchin hat was a fab find at the grand ole price of 1.99 from our GW added $3.00 in flowers and got TONS of compliments. Who want’s topay retail, this is so much more fun!
Ok…do you have a crown, septor, and/or a throne? If not, you deserve one. Thank you again Queen Jen…of Frugal Fashionista Land!
BTW, does my link up next week have to be me, or could it be a cutie patootie 3 year old girl in glasses? I find some wicked good stuff for her at yard sales!
~Amanda
I think my jaw actually dropped when I saw the price of your after… Not much, we’re not talking codfish, but there was definite dropage. Wow!
I always look forward to these posts. It’s always fun to see your frugal finds!
Great finds, as usual! Can’t wait for the Mr. Linky next time.
🙂
what yard sale did you go to? goodness the ones we went to last week hardly had any clothes….and what thrift store?
That dress is so cute. You look beautiful in it!
LOVE the before and after shots—too funny (very creative idea, btw). 🙂 Amazing the effect that a couple of accessories can have, huh? 🙂
I really love the things you found! Great job.
I agree with you one million percent on the boxy t-shirt thing. I have a bunch of them, of course, but I wear them to paint in or wear them to sleep in. They NEVER leave the house (unless I’m running to Home Depot to pick up more supplies and am covered in paint!).
Man, if I could look as great as your sister-in-law and have the patience of Michelle Duggar I would so have tons of kids!
I am loving these posts! We don’t have great yard sales or thrift stores here, but I’m hoping to be able to go to the bigger city sometime to scour theres 🙂
I adore how you took that suit from boring to fabulous! I always neglect accessories. I need to get better about that!
Great post, Jen…you are so the Queen of Fashion and Frugal!
suzanne
Where do you live, because I have never seen clothes that cheap here in Ohio.
Wow at the dif. in those pics. Love the serious smile look!
Ginger
I lived in the Midwest most of life…the really cheap clothes are going to come from yard sales. Every week, you can find blouses, classy T-shirts, sweaters for $1. Finding the suit for that small amount was a fluke, but many thrift stores have certain days where they mark down specific items. Start asking around and people can direct you to those stores. Our Good Will does NOT do this, but the new Carolina Thrift does (for those local friends).
This is the time to buy out of season items. They’ll be marked cheaper.
I am loving this subject – and the pictures are great! And I say hip, hip, hooray for your sil for showing that Moms of Many don’t have to look frumpy and bedraggled. I have 11 children (and am just a tad older than her…) but have upped the priority on the way I dress because I realized I was a walking advertisement for birth control when I dressed carelessly. I also think the way we feel about our clothes shows on our face and in our attitudes.
I am SO motivated to get out to some yard sales!
Great post. Love 😉 the crocks in the before after. You did a great job of teaching us how to add sparkle and spice to an outfit to rev it up from boring to brilliant!
Thanks!
Pat Anderson
Hey Jen, This is probably one of my favorite posts that you do! Love it. Cannot wait till next Friday! I love your blog…you do a little bit of everything…stop by my blog…I have an award there for you to pick up…you deserve it!
YOU ARE SO FUN! And I love that you posted the ‘frumpy’ look in that suit and then the fabulous ones!!! I also enjoy finding wonderful things at great prices. And accessories always dress up anything! This will be so fun to view. ~ Violet
One of my classic black dresses was $1 at a yard sale years ago. I just bought 2 pair of shoes from Good Will last week. You can totally make your wardrobe classy! YAY!
Happy Mother’s Day to you Jen. Enjoy your day w/your precious family.
xo
I love that first photo. You are so fun and funny! I linked to you today too. 🙂 Kelly
Girl, you know I’ll be all over this one. Now to just pick out which fave pieces I want to show off from my frugal stash! Fun!
Thanks for the inspiration! I look forward to seeing everyone’s finds next week! Blessings!!
You are so right with this post… Accessories do change an outfit. Both the jewelry and the scarf look great with it.
Love it! I am going to try to join in! Great find! Jen
Will you let me tag along one Saturday?? I never find anything as good as this! I would love to hear about how you find out about yard sales and how you map out where you are going. Really want to get into this – I even have a list of things I want to find this season!
You are a fashionista, girl, but what really sells the outfits is the coordinating purse still full of money!
I went to the mall today and kept looking at the windows and saying to my daughter, look all they did was put a necklace on the tshirt or scarf and look what it does to the whole outfit!! So take we bought necklaces and scarfs. (We got scarf at Forever 21 for $4.50 and found John 3:16 printed on the bottom of all their bags, isn’t that cool!) Think we might have to go to goodwill tomorrow and look for some scarfs and necklaces!!
Jen,
I found some great shoes this weekend.. Al at bargain prices.
I would love to go yard saling with you girl.
Cynthia
I always look forward to these posts!! 🙂 That .75 cents suit was awesome!
So proud of my first yard sale experience!! Check it out here! http://scraphappychelsey.blogspot.com/2009/05/fun-yard-sale-find.html